Everything Happens in Threes
by Daisyangel
Summary: Stephanie's world is shattered by a tragedy and Joe, Lula, Ranger, and Connie are their to help. Cupcake, but Ranger friendly. and minor spoilers for TBO. RR
1. Chapter 1

Title: Everything Happens in Three's

Author: Dacia

Rating: M for graphic violence and language

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Janet Evanovich

Pairing: Cupcake, baby!

Summary: A family tragedy shatters Stephanie's world can Morelli and Ranger along with Lula and Connie put her back together again?

Spoilers: Spoilers for TBO.

A/n this idea has been going around my head for quite a while. I hope you enjoy it. This is my first fan fic for this awesome book series. In this story not all of the sleighers have died from book ten. I'm going to use some of the ones whose names were given and make up names for them. Don't forget to give feedback, but no flames, please.

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The phone rang startling me awake. Joe groaned and placed the pillow over his head as I reached for the phone.

"Hello?" I said groggily into the phone.

"Hey Steph its Val listen I need a favor from you, please?"

"What is it, Val?"

"Well you know that Angie has that spelling bee this weekend, don't you?" she asked.

"Yeah I do," I replied.

"Well I was wondering if you could watch Mary Alice and Lisa? I'd ask Mom, but I think she and Dad are taking a vacation. It's the first one they've taken in quite a while, and you know Grandma," Valerie concluded.

"Sure I guess so. When are you guys leaving?"

"This afternoon around 4:00 once the girls are out of school. Angie's going to miss school tomorrow, and I don't want Mary Alice to miss. Albert took the day off to go with us," Valerie explained.

"Where do I need to watch them at?" I asked.

"I can bring over the porta crib for the baby and the girls can sleep in Joe's guest room as long as it's ok with him?" Valerie suggested. I placed my hand over the phone as I walked into our bedroom.

"Hold on," I said to Valerie.

"Hey Joe?" I asked.

"Yeah what is it, Cupcake?"

"Val and Albert are going with Angie to her spelling bee thing this weekend and she needs me to watch Lisa and Mary Alice. Is it ok if they stay in your guest room?"

"Yeah that's fine," Joe replied.

"Ok that sounds good I'll talk to you later?" I said to Valerie.

"Ok talk to you later, Stephanie," she replied. When I had hung up the phone I walked over to Joe and leaned against him. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on top of the head.

"It's going to be an interesting weekend, Cupcake," Morelli murmured into my ear as he kissed the shell of it. I felt my knees go weak and heat rush south. It was most certainly going to be an interesting weekend.

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Well we had survived the first few hours together. Mary Alice was finishing her homework with Joe's help and I had just put Lisa to bed. "How's it going?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen where they were sitting at the kitchen table.

"It's going good we're just about done," Joe said.

"Ok that's good when you're done get your PJs on and I'll tuck you in, ok Mary Alice?"

"Ok Aunt Stephanie and can we make sure that Misty has a spot right next to my bed, please?" Mary Alice requested.

"Is Misty another horse?" I asked. Mary Alice nodded. "Sure we can," I replied.

"There you go your done. Now brush your teeth and get ready for bed," Joe said. Mary Alice nodded as she jumped up and began galloping down the hall towards the bathroom. For quite a while Mary Alice had been pretending she was a horse and could be found galloping around the house. Ten minutes later we had her tucked into bed and had headed into our bedroom.

"We've done ok so far, don't you think, Cupcake?" Joe asked as he placed butterfly kisses on my neck.

"MMM-hmm," I murmured. Joe chuckled and pulled away to get ready for bed. Five minutes later we were in bed with Joe spooned up against my back with his arm around my waist.

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I pulled into the bonds office at ten after nine. It's harder than it looks to get two children ready for the day and walk a dog. "Your late, and is that some baby food in your hair?" Lula asked. I reached up and touched my hair. Sure enough their was a glob of baby food in my hair.

"I'm watching Lisa and Mary Alice this weekend. Val and Kloughn went to Angie's spelling bee thing," I explained to Lula and Connie.

"What have we got today?" I asked Connie. She rifled through some file folders and handed me one.

"Linny Johnson wanted for assault," Connie replied.

"Ok let's get to it," I told Lula as we headed out and walked to my new Escape.

"Wonder how long this one's gonna last," Lula commented. My cars have a history of getting blown up or otherwise destroyed so it was a valid question.

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Linny Johnson lived in a part of Trenton where all the houses looked like they should be condemned. They were all in various states of disarray. Linny lived in a house with brown paint that was chipping horrible and looked like it hadn't been redone in forty years.

"Let's go get this guy," Lula said. I nodded and we climbed out and headed for the door. I knocked on the door and a minute later it opened to reveal a man with brown hair and a tattoo of a skull on his arm.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I'm Stephanie Plum and I work for Vincent Plum," I introduced myself.

"Yeah, so?" he asked back.

"You missed your court date and I need to bring you back into get rebonded," I said.

"Ok sure just give me a second to turn off the stove I was cooking breakfast," he said as he ran into the house and headed straight for the back door.

"Get him!" I yelled to Lula. She took off after him and tackled him next to the stove where some eggs were cooking. I grabbed one of his wrists and slapped a bracelet on it. I was reaching for the other wrist when he reached over to the stove grabbed the pan with the eggs and threw it me. I jumped as hot egg bits hit me in the face.

"Hey now there was no reason to do that," Lula said as she sat on top of Linny causing him to let out a loud exhalation of air.

"Put the other cuff on him," I called. Lula did so then she put ankle shackles on him. Together we got Linny to his feet and dragged him to my car. Thirty minutes later I had gotten the body receipt from Connie and Lula and I decided to get some lunch before heading out on our next apprehension. We were sitting at Cluck in a Bucket when I saw Joe's grandma, Grandma Bella walking towards us.

Oh shit, I'm getting outa here," Lula said as she began to stand up. I grabbed her arm.

"You leave and I'll take away your credit card for a month so you can't go shopping," I threatened. Lula's eyes got wide and she sat back down looking defeated.

"I had a vision," Grandma Bella said as she fixed her eyes on me.

"Oh really?" I asked trying to look interested.

"Three people were dead. One of them was a little girl and you were holding her and crying," Grandma Bella said. Bells were going off in my head and little black dots were swimming behind my eyes. I put my head between my knees until the clanging stopped.

"Stop it you crazy old lady your scaring her," Lula cried indignantly. Grandma Bella just gave Lula a glare and flounced off. "Don't listen to her no one's going to die," Lula said to me. I nodded still to shaken up to speak.

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Connie, Lula, and I were all about to leave when the door opened and Ranger walked in. Connie and Lula both fanned themselves.

"Babe," Ranger said as he walked up behind me and placed his hand at the base of my neck. A shiver ran down my spine.

"Hey what's up?" I asked. Ranger blew out a breath and I turned to face him. I was shocked at what I saw. Ranger didn't usually show emotion, but I could tell that was really hard for him not to do right now.

"Stephanie," Ranger said softly.

Ut-oh Ranger called me Stephanie this couldn't be good.

"Yeah?" I asked as a bad feeling started in the pit of my stomach.

"I don't know how to tell you this, but, your sister, niece, and sister's boyfriend have been kidnapped from the hotel where the spelling bee was taking place," Ranger said softly. Black dots danced in front of my eyes and the world started to spin. My legs gave way and I fainted. I could hear voices, but they were muffled and far away.

"Stephanie, Stephanie," someone called from beside me. I forced myself to focus and open my eyes. Rangers face swam into focus beside me and Connie and Lula were standing above me.

"When did this happen?" I asked.

"I was just informed a few minutes ago. I have friends at the hotel who are security guards. An Amber Alert has just been issued for Angie and your sister and Albert were also reported missing," Ranger said. I jumped up and began to pace. Ranger reached out for my arm, but I shook him off. I began to talk out loud.

"I have to call My mother, and Grandma Mazur, and I have to tell Mary Alice and Lisa," I said. At the thought of my two nieces who could quite possibly become orphans I broke down and began to cry. Ranger rushed forward and gathered me into his arms. He looked at Lula and Connie over the top of my head.

"One of you call her Mom and one of you go pick the kids up from school and daycare," Ranger instructed.

"What about Steph?" Lula asked.

"I'll take care of her until Morelli gets here. I've got a feeling as soon as he hears the Amber Alert he'll head straight here," Ranger replied. Lula and Connie nodded as they went off to do what they had been asked to do.

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Joe was startled out of his thoughts as Carl Kostanza came over with a portable radio in his hands.

"Hey Joe, I think you need to hear this," he said with a somber look on his face. Joe got up and headed over to his friend.

"What is it, Carl?" Joe asked.

"Here listen," Carl said, turning up the radio.

"An Amber Alert has just been issued for ten-year-old Angie Plum. She was taken from the Holiday Inn Select in Newark New Jersey along with her mother Valerie Plum and her mother's boyfriend Albert Kloughn. Angie was wearing a pink sun dress, is four feet 9 inches tall, and weighs 60 lbs. If you have any information as to the whereabouts of Angie or her parents either call the Newark PD or your local law enforcement. Repeating an Amber Alert has just been issued for ten-year-old Angie Plum from Trenton New Jersey."

"Shit!" Joe swore as he pulled his cell from his belt and dialed Stephanie's number. "Pick up, pick up, damn it, pick up Stephanie," Joe thought to himself.

"Hello?" came Ranger's voice.

"Ranger, why are you answering Steph's phone is she ok?" Joe asked.

"Because I'm at the bonds office with her, and no she isn't ok. I just told her about the kidnapping, where are you, Morelli?" Ranger asked.

"I'm at the station, but, I'm heading their now. What about the girls?"

"Don't worry about it, Lula's picking them up, and Connie's calling Stephanie and Valerie's Mom," Ranger replied.

"Ok," Joe said as he disconnected. Ranger disconnected and turned back to me. I was still sobbing and was beginning to hyperventilate.

"You need to take deep breaths, babe. Morelli's on his way here. Jus breathe, babe." I tried to take deep breaths, but they kept coming out more like gasps as I sobbed. Morelli jumped into his truck slapped the cojak light on to his roof and peeled out of the station like a bat out of hell. He slammed the truck into the parking lot of the bonds office five minutes later. He nearly collided with Lula who had just come back with the girls.

"How is she?" Lula asked.

"I don't know here's the key to my house take the girls their, and keep an eye on them for me, will you? Don't tell them what's happened yet," Joe requested.

"Ok," Lula said as she got the two girls settled back in the fire bird and took off. Joe opened the door and stepped into the office. I lifted my head from Ranger's chest and saw Joe standing in the doorway.

"Joe," I choked out as I pushed away from Ranger and went running to him. Joe held out his arms and caught me as I ran into them.

"Hey Shh, its ok, Cupcake. I've got you, it's gonna be ok," Joe soothed.

"B-b-but Mary Alice and Lisa what will happen to them if they don't find Val and Albert, and what about Angie? Why would someone take her?" I asked indignantly.

"I don't know, Cupcake, I don't know," Joe said.

"How do you want to do this?" Ranger asked.

"I wanna get Steph home and taken care of. Can you go over to her parents and tell her Grandmother?" Joe asked. Ranger nodded and after a pat to my back he was gone.

"Come on lets get you home, Cupcake," Joe said softly as he guided me out of the bonds office and into his truck. "We'll get your car tomorrow," Joe said. I closed my eyes and nodded praying that this was a horrible nightmare and I would wake up any minute.

TBC?


	2. Chapter 2

A/n Here's the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy. If there are any spelling mistakes I'm sorry, but this has not been beta-ed.

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"We're home, Cupcake," Joe whispered softly as he gently touched my shoulder. I nodded silently and climbed out of the car. My legs didn't want to cooperate, though and I stumbled. Joe ran over and wrapped an arm around me to steady me.

"Take it easy, Cupcake."

"Where are the girls? Do my parents and Grandma Mazure know?" I asked. I couldn't stop with the questions. Joe reached over and placed a finger against my lips.

"Lula picked up the girls, Connie is trying to get a hold of your parents, and Ranger is going to tell your Grandmother." I looked around the yard and for the first time noticed Lula's firebird in the drive. "Come on lets get you inside and into a nice warm bath," Joe suggested as he began guiding me towards the house.

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We had barely got through the front door when Mary Alice ran up to us. "Where hav you guys been? Why did Lula pick us up? Is that egg in your hair, Aunt Stephanie?"

"Yes it is, Mary Alice," I replied.

"You look like you've been crying. What's wrong is everything ok Aunt Stephanie?" Mary Alice asked her voice slightly shaking. I froze and turned to Joe with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on my face and tears in my eyes. Joe knelt down so he was at Mary Alice's level.

"I tell you what why don't you ask Lula to come here then go sit on the couch and I'll be their to explain it to you in just a second, ok?" Joe suggested. Mary Alice nodded and headed into the living room. Lula walked past her with Lisa in her arms.

"What can I do?" Lula asked.

"Take Steph upstairs and help her get into a bath while I explain what's going on to the girls?" Joe requested.

"Ok, come on, Stephanie," Lula said as she gently pushed me towards the stairs. I threw one last look at Joe before ascending the stairs and following Lula down the hall. Joe gave me a reassuring smile before turning and heading into the living room. Joe sat down on the couch and settled Lisa on his lap.

"You know your parents and Angie are out of town this weekend, don't you?" Joe asked.

"Yeah Angie has some spelling thing," Mary Alice replied.

"Yes that's right. Well, we just found out that someone has taken all three of them from the hotel," Joe said.

"I don't understand," Mary Alice said. "What do you mean taken?"

"I mean taken as in kidnapped."

"Nooooooooo!" Mary Alice shouted causing Lisa to start crying. "M-o-m-m-y!" Mary Alice cried as tears began to stream down her face. Joe gathered the little girl into his arms and began to rock her and her baby sister back and forth in an attempt to calm them. As soon as I heard Mary Alice's shout I ran for the bedroom door, but Lula reached out an arm and stopped me.

"It's ok Joe's got it under control, Steph. Lets get you into a bath," Lula said.

"But I need to help my niece," I protested.

"I understand, and, you will, but lets get you cleaned up first," Lula said. I gave a resigned sigh and allowed Lula to help me into the bath. I soaked for about an hour and it helped me feel better. Once I was done I grabbed a towel and dried off before putting on some sweats and a t-shirt. I walked downstairs and found both Mary Alice and Lisa asleep in Joe's arms.

"Are they ok?" I asked as I sat down next to Joe.

"They will be, Mary Alice is pretty upset, but, Lisa doesn't understand what's going on. She just knows her sister's upset," Joe said as he stood up careful not to wake the girls.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm going to put them to bed. I'll be right back," he said. I nodded and curled up on the couch trying to get my emotions under control.

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Mary Alice opened her eyes as Joe layed her down.

"Uncle Joe?" Joe stopped as he began to walk away neither of the girls had ever called him that, but he had to admit that he liked it.

"What is it, sweetie?" he asked as he sat down on the edge of the twin bed.

"Will they find Mommy, and Angie, and Albert?" she asked with big eyes.

"Yes they will."

"I hope so, I want my Mommy," Mary Alice said softly as her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep with fresh tears making their way down her face.

"I know you do, sweetheart. I know you do," Joe whispered softly as he gently stroked her hair. Once he was sure that both girls were asleep he walked out closing the door behind him.

"I think I'm going to take off if that's ok?" Lula whispered.

"Yeah sure that's fine," Joe replied as they began to walk down the stairs. A small smile came to joe's face. I had fallen asleep on the couch and was holding a pillow tightly to my chest.

"I'll call you if anything happens," Joe whispered to Lula as he lifted me into his arms and began carrying me off to bed. Lula nodded and let herself out after giving me one last worried look.

TBC?


End file.
